Hyperdimension Neptunia is owned by Sega, Idea Factory and Compile Heart and whomever else worked on it.

Sorry about the delay on this chapter, I lost track of time and that's why this is so late. That and I wanted it to be good.

Chapter 76

As she sat on her bed, looking through some digital photos, Plutia had a small, sad smile on her face as she saw images of IF, Compa, all the children that had been adopted by her and Neptune over the years, images of her and Neptune waking up from a nap together, images of Ouya and Stadia climbing around old trees and finally images of Ouya, Stadia, Neptune, Blanc, Noire, Vert, Peashy and even Plutia all running away from angry bees. "Those bees were soooo mean too!"

"Yeah, they were." A voice had Plutia jumping slightly as she turned to see Ouya standing at the door to her room. "Hey, auntie, can I come in?"

Plutia smiled and patted the spot next to her. "Sure." Ouya smiled and walked over and sat on the bed. "So why are you here?"

Ouya gave her a look before reaching out and hugging her. "I'm sorry for what mommy did." She tightened her hug. "I really am."

"You did nothing wrong." Plutia said softly as she patted Ouya's back. "The only one who did something wrong was Neppy."

"...Are you leaving?" Ouya asked Plutia, who nodded. "Why?"

"I would have left a long time ago." Plutia whispered to Ouya. "I was hurting so much, I wanted to go away and make the pain go away." She pushed Ouya away and looked at the confused girl in the face with a sad look on her face. "I was tired of dealing with shouldering the blame for all the problems that happened. Neppy was the one that people thought was the CPU anyway and..." Plutia trailed off as she saw Ouya lowering her head. "What's wrong?"

"It's not fair... I just got everyone back..." Ouya whimpered. "I finally have my family back and now you're going to go away." Her shoulders shook. "I don't have to fight mommy, I don't have to fight big sis, I don't..." She suddenly lunged forward and hugged Plutia tightly, tackling the older girl to the bed, "I don't have to fight my auntie anymore!"

Plutia blinked a few times before smiling softly and patting her back. The next thing that Ouya knew, Plutia transformed into Iris Heart. "Calm down, little one." Iris Heart said softly as she pushed herself to a sitting position and held Ouya against her chest. "I just need a little time away from Neppy, not you. You're more than welcome to come with me if you want. Or visit whenever you want."

Ouya hiccuped and started bawling into Iris Heart's chest.

Iris Heart smiled softly as she rubbed Ouya's back. Despite the fact that Ouya was afraid of her when Iris Heart was in one of her moods, Ouya was one of the few kids that she and Neptune looked after that didn't fear her when she was in HDD normally, Compa had been one of the other ones, as were Compa's children and grandchildren. But nearly everyone else? They were all terrified of her in both forms, even when she wasn't in one of her infamous moods. "If only I had been more calm when I was younger." She sighed and thought back to all the times she had let her sadism run rampant.

"Please don't go." Ouya whimpered and Iris Heart sighed.

"One week." She said and Ouya looked up at her. "I'll stay for one week." Iris Heart smiled at her niece. "But don't ask me to hang out with your mother."

Ouya shook her head. "No." She hugged Iris Heart tightly. "I just want to have you around for a little bit."

(-)

In the Hyper Dimension...

"So Neptune decided to spend the night?" Histoire asked Uzume, who nodded at her.

"Yeah," Uzume rubbed the back of her head, "I think she just needs to clear her head, but..." Histoire nodded, sighing.

"I know, I was prepared for her to never return." Histoire told Uzume. "The fact that she returned at all is more than I could have ever hoped for."

"Hey, Histy..." Uzume asked, her voice slightly different as she looked at the book fairy. "If... If you had remembered me..."

Histoire gave Uzume a small smile. "I would have had Uranus try to rescue you. If that failed, I would have had Neptune attempt to rescue you. I would have tried to have Nepgear and Neptune try. I wouldn't have given up until you were back and..." She trailed off as she saw Uzume tearing up and her lips trembling. "Uzume?"

"All... All Uzume wanted..." The girl started whimpering before hugging Histoire tightly. "Was someone to tell Uzume that she was still loved."

Histoire blinked a few times before hugging Uzume back. "I should have tried to defend you. I'm so sorry, Uzume." She was thankful that Uzume was careful not to increase the strength of her hug, since Histoire knew that she'd probably be accidentally crushed if Uzume did that.

"You..." Uzume began before bawling. "Uzume is just so happy to be home, Histy!"

"I'm happy you're home too." Histoire said softly.

(-)

Meanwhile...

"We sure are meeting here a lot lately." Noire pointed out as she, Blanc and Vert were in Planeptune's Basilicom meeting room before chuckling. "If we're not careful, we're going to end up with bedrooms here."

"It would have saved us time when we came over to play games all day." Vert pointed out, getting nods from the other two. "Ah, here they are." She smiled as Rom, Ram, Nepgear and Uni walked into the room. "How was the other world?"

"It was so cool!" Ram's eyes sparkled. "They have flying cars and robots and, and..."

"I'm going to head back tomorrow." Nepgear told Vert. "I'm also going to need some of my Nepgyas to work on that robot."

"...How many did you make again?" Vert, Noire and Blanc all asked at the same time, getting a giggling laugh from Nepgear.

"But there was lots of cool stuff." Uni told them. "I didn't see any electrical outlets or switches, yet everything ran as though it was powered like over here, just... More futuristic."

"Uh huh." Rom nodded. "They even had lots of games that I never saw before." She let out a small squeal and fidgeted as she remembered some of the games that she had seen there.

"Well, they are a thousand years in the future." Uni pointed out and looked at Nepgear. "I don't need to follow you tomorrow, do I?"

Nepgear just smiled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. "No, you're fine, Uni. I don't say this enough, but thank you. I wouldn't have come out of the last few years without you and big sis Vert helping me as much as you have."

Blanc looked at her sisters and smiled lightly. "Come on, let's go back to Lowee, there's lots of stuff that we need to catch up on."

"I got the same problem in Lastation." Noire sighed and rubbed the back of her head. "It's going to take a few weeks to get through all that paperwork." Uni felt her shoulders slumping and hung her head in dismay.

"Well, when we're done, wwe were told we can go back and visit." Rom smiled nervously while Blanc nodded to her. "Hee hee."

After waving goodbye to Blanc, Noire and their sisters, Nepgear looked at Vert. "Aren't you going to head back?"

"I'm sure that Leanbox can wait one day before I go back." Vert told her. "I just want to make sure that you're okay."

Nepgear smiled at Vert. "Thank you. Um..." She gripped her shirt and fidgeted. "I want to tell you something, Big Sis Vert." Vert nodded and Nepgear took a deep breath. "Please don't interrupt me, I'm going to say this all at once and if I don't, I might not get it out."

"Of course." Vert smiled at her. "Whatever you need, Nepgear."

"I... I had some time to think while I was fixing that robot." Nepgear began, her eyes looking down, "and I realized... I haven't been fair to you, Uni or IF."

"Nepgear?" Vert asked in confusion.

"I..." Nepgear poked her fingers together. "When you were brainwashed by Kurome and those things you said."

"I didn't mean any of it!" Vert yelled, grabbing Nepgear's shoulders, causing her to look up. "I wasn't myself, and..." She stopped when Nepgear reached up and put a finger on her lips.

After a moment, Nepgear lowered her hand. "I know, but, I think you were right somewhat." Nepgear smiled and hugged Vert, burying her face into Vert's chest. "You were there for me for three years and comforted me when I was sad. I... You're my big sister too."

"Nep...gear?" Vert found it hard to speak with how dry her mouth was.

"I can't just abandon Planeptune." Nepgear said as she rested her head on Vert's chest. "I'm sorry, but..."

"I know." Vert whispered and rubbed Nepgear's back. "I don't blame you for wanting to ensure that your nation survives and thrives." She had a stern look on her face, "in fact, I would be very disappointed in you if you decided to abandon your nation."

"But I need to go to..." Nepgear trailed off as the ground started to shake and the two CPUs stumbled a bit before they looked at each other in worry and ran out through one of the windows to the open roof deck.

"What the goodness?!" Nepgear and Vert yelped at the same time as they saw, on the street in front of the Basilicom, was the Great Flonzor Z.

"How did that thing get over here?" Nepgear asked, her eyes blank and white with black circles around them. "I was going to work on it tomorrow and..." Suddenly the top of the robot opened up and Nepgear stared as the bigger Neptune popped herself out of the robot, looking frazzled. "Neptune!?"

"Goodness," Vert chuckled softly, "this is something a Neptune would do, isn't it?" The two transformed and flew to the top of the robot where Neptune was pulling herself out of the machine. "Neptune, what are you doing?"

"Okay, so..." Neptune smiled at them as she dusted off her black parka. "I was thinking that since Nepgear was coming back here and Tiny Me doesn't like Angels too much that I could use Crostie and bring it here." She smiled brightly at them. "At least this way, you don't have to go back to the other world constantly."

"I demand extra thick pancakes with fruit toppings!" Croire's voice came out from the Nepnote.

The situation was so absurd that Purple Sister, Green Heart and Neptune all started laughing while agreeing to get Croire the pancakes she wanted.

"I'm still not letting you out of there though." Neptune warned Croire.

"Dang it!" Croire yelled in frustration as Neptune smiled and put the Nepnote in her parka pocket while Purple Sister and Green Heart continued to laugh.

(-)

The next morning in Ultra Dimension...

Yawning as she scratched her head while walking through the Basilicom in her pajamas, Stadia smacked her lips a couple of times before blinking as she came across Neptune's office. "Huh, didn't see mom last night, I wonder..." The rainbow-haired girl opened the door and sighed as she saw the hoverbed that Neptune used when she worked late nights and was too tired to leave her office to go back to bed. "I'm glad that she works from home, but I wish that she didn't have an office in the residential Basilicom."

Still, most of the day to day stuff was handled without needing a CPU to oversee it and anything that Neptune got was rather important.

Stadia blinked as she realized something important. One, Neptune was in bed but there was a large body next to her. Two, Neptune was cuddled up against said body. And finally, Stadia could see a familiar head next to Neptune. "AHHHH!"

Groaning, Neptune opened her eyes and sat up slowly while rubbing her eyes. "Huh?" She looked and blinked her eyes. "Stadia, why are you yelling so early?"

Stadia was pointing at the hoverbed with her eyes white and blank. "You! He! Sleeping!"

Neptune gave her a flat look. "Yes, I was sleeping in the same bed as Sobar." Said man chuckled as he sat up. "If you notice, Stadia, we're both still completely clothed and you know that I like to sleep in my underwear or completely naked."

"I apologize." Sobar said to Neptune. "I should have found another room."

Neptune shook her head. "No, you... You helped me calm down last night, I'd probably still be outside if you didn't pull me away from the railing." She smiled at him and then turned back to look at Stadia. "All we did was sleep, Stadia, okay? Nothing else happened." She sighed as Stadia slowly lowered her hand but looked unconvinced. "Neppit... Stadia, just take a sniff of the air. If we did any of that stuff, this room would still stink." Both she and Sobar chuckled as Stadia's face turned bright red.

Sobar calmed down first. "Is there something you wanted or did you just come to wake us up?"

"Um..." Stadia fidgeted. "The robot that Angel left is gone." Neptune and Sobar both stared at her as she held out a device. "I found this, it's from the other you." Stadia pressed a button and an image of the bigger Neptune appeared over it.

"Hey, Tiny Me! I'm going to take this robot back to where Nepgear is, okay? Don't worry, I'll bring it back after I get Crostie some pancakes!"

Neptune sweat-dropped as the recording ended. "Well, I hope that Nep Jr. gets that done sooner rather than later then. I'd hate to have to explain that my crazy little sister stole the robot."

"You shouldn't call her crazy, mom." Stadia pointed out. "Especially since you have multiple personality disorder."

"Bah! It's only a disorder when the Frozen Queen comes out to play." Neptune crossed her arms over her chest and grumbled before sighing as Sobar hugged her from behind. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Sobar told her. "...So what's this about your Mole Queen self coming back to life?"

Neptune sweat-dropped. "Well, this and that, things happened, ended up getting brainwashed and yadda yadda yadda."

"I see..." Sobar nodded somberly. "And this Kurome won't be a problem anymore?"

"Wait!" Stadia's eyes were white and blank. "How did you understand that?! I experienced what happened and even I was confused!"

Sobar gave her an amused smile. "When you've been married as long as we have, well... You learn a few things." He gave Neptune's stomach a few pats and let go of the hug.

Stadia just grumbled in response.

"How about I make all of us breakfast?" Neptune asked, getting a nod from both Stadia and Sobar as she got off the bed and left the room.

Stadia looked at Sobar and bit her lip. "...I still don't like you."

"It's fine." Sobar told Stadia as he got up from the bed as well. "You have no good memories of me after all." He walked over to her and smiled at her. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast."

As they walked to the dining room, Stadia kept giving him glances before sighing. "...How many children did you and mom have together?"

"Fifty, why?" Sobar asked her. "There were some twins in there, just so you know."

"...You only had kids once every ten years?" Stadia asked and Sobar nodded. "...That's a lot less than I thought. Mom adopted and helped raise about that many children before I got sealed away."

"Well, it's actually pretty hard for the two of us to have children." Sobar explained to her. "The mere fact that we can is kind of a surprise. I think that if we never had children that Neptune never would have come back to me."

Stadia nodded as they entered the dining room. "Oh, I see."

"Plus we weren't able to see each other as much as we wanted to, otherwise we'd probably have more kids." Sobar smirked as Stadia face-faulted. "I keep telling your mother that you shouldn't do that."

Stadia grumbled as she got to her feet and sat at the table. As the smell of food started to waft through the room, Histoire floated in, yawning tiredly, which wasn't a surprise. Ouya and Peashy both coming after her wasn't a surprise either. Behind them was Plutia.

"Plutie?" Neptune asked as she came out with a large plate full of fried eggs and another plate of scrambled eggs. "I thought you'd be asleep or you would have left."

"Ouya wanted me to stay one week." Plutia told Neptune. "So I will." Neptune nodded as she sat the plates on the table and went back to get some silverware and plates for everyone to eat off of, as well as bringing some other simple foods like bacon and some toast. She ran back to the kitchen to get some stuff to drink and set that and glasses at the table.

"You're leaving?" Sobar asked, getting a nod from Plutia as Neptune finished setting the table. "Huh, Beglar would be sad if he came up here and you went to see him then." Plutia, Neptune and Peashy all gave Sobar a confused look. "Oh, sorry, I guess in the excitement yesterday, I never told you. We've all retired and, well, don't tell Vert, Blanc or Noire, but we're all coming to see you."

"So our grandchildren are running things then?" Plutia asked and Sobar nodded. "Oh."

Sobar sighed as the three CPUs all looked upset about that. "Listen, no one blames you for not being there. We all knew it was for the best that your children never knew who their mother was, because there were too many enemies out there who would use your children against you. I've told my children who their mother was when they were adults and could keep a secret." He smiled at Neptune, who jerked in surprise. "I'm sure that it's the same for the others."

"How come you came up early?" Stadia asked as she frowned at him in confusion.

"I decided to come up with just the clothes on my back." Sobar explained to Stadia, "so I could tell you that we were retired." He smiled at Neptune, "our eldest four children will be here with my stuff in a few days."

"...It'll be nice seeing them again." Neptune said, smiling softly.

Ouya smiled at Plutia. "Aren't you glad you stayed, auntie?" Plutia looked at her and nodded, smiling as she ruffled Ouya's hair.

"Well, so long as you aren't sneaking off to be with your lover for months at a time, I see no problem with all of this." Histoire said. She smirked as Neptune, Plutia and Peashy all gave her confused looks. "You three would come back smelling like you took a bath made out of your lover's sweat." She giggled as the three had the decency to blush at that. "Plus whenever you called and said you were going to be gone for most of the year, I suspected that you were going to have another child."

"...Histy knew the whole time!?" Peashy yelled, her eyes white and blank.

Histoire rolled her eyes. "Of course I knew, I have to observe and record. Plus all of your boobs were bigger in HDD for a few months after you got back." She smirked at them. "Same with Vert, Blanc and Noire's boobs. Well, it was harder to notice with Blanc, her boobs were the only ones that have permanently gotten bigger."

"Which is something she's eternally grateful for." Stadia muttered, remembering how small the other Blanc's chest was compared to her own aunt Blanc's chest.

"You have no idea." Plutia, Peashy and Neptune said at the same time.

"Um, Histy... After we're done with breakfast, I need you to call..." Histoire nodded and smiled at Neptune. "Thank you."

(-)

After finishing eating and cleaning up, Neptune stood in front of a screen as Nepgear and the larger Histoire appeared on screen. "Nep Jr., Histy, I... I made my decision." Neptune told them. "I can't be a CPU of two dimensions, it's not fair to either nation. And thanks to Uzume, I can always travel between the dimensions easily, but..."

Neptune felt her eyes watering up. "I wanted to come home for so long that I was blind. My home... It's here."

The bigger Histoire smiled at Neptune. "If that's what you want."

Neptune hung her head. "I'm sorry, it's just..." She looked up and turned around to see Peashy, Stadia, and Sobar standing behind her with the small Histoire right next to her. Plutia had left to go back to her room with Ouya spending time with her. "I've lived so long here that it was a bit hard to adjust." Neptune said as she turned around. "I really did enjoy coming back though. And like I said, thanks to Uzume, I can travel between dimensions easily. But... I belong here."

"Neptune." Nepgear said, causing Neptune to look up. "...I missed you so much. You're always welcome to come back."

Neptune nodded at her sister. "I love you so much, Nep Jr.. I wanted you to be here so much, it hurt when you weren't here, but..." She looked back at the other and then turned back to the screen. "It hurts too much to leave them."

Histoire gave Neptune a smile. "I figured you'd make this decision, Neptune. Know that you are always welcome back here at any time, you and your family."

"Thank you, Histy." Neptune smiled at her. "Nep Jr., I'm sorry for leaving you again, but..."

"It's okay." Nepgear smiled at her sister. "I'll get that robot fixed and back to you in a week, okay?"

Neptune nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

"And, it's like you said," Nepgear smiled, "this isn't a permanent goodbye, we can come and visit at any time now."

Neptune nodded and said her goodbyes before the screen turned off.

"Are you sure this is what you want, mom?" Stadia asked.

Neptune turned around and smiled at her. "Nep Jr.'s my little sister and part of my family, but..." She walked over and hugged Stadia. "The rest of my family lives in this world."

Stadia smiled and hugged her back, followed by Peashy as she joined in.

That was a long chapter and Neptune finally made her decision.